“Once I made a change, we started picking up the tempo; we had a lot of freshman out here and I’m proud of their effort,” said head coach Joan Bonvicini. “We had our chance at the end of regulation, but we have a lot to build on from this game - I like the effort, I like our intensity. I thought Crystal [Allen] played her best game, Jazmine [Johnson] played a lot of minutes, and Taelor [Ross] came in in the second half and played great. It was just a game we needed to finish.”
Kayleigh Valley struck first for Montana, giving the Lady Griz an early two point lead before the Redhawks tied it two different times in the opening six minutes. Kaylee Best (Seattle, Wash.) tied the game at two apiece the first time and Makenna Clark (Seattle, Wash.) would re-tie it at 10 with the first of two made free throws.
Crystal Allen (Fort Worth, Texas) hit a three at 12:43 to give the Redhawks their first lead of the game, 13-11, at 12:43 and they would regain the lead two more times over the next four minutes on contributions from Allen and Jazmine Johnson (Lakewood, Calif.).
The Grizzlies would regain the lead, 17-16, at 8:12, a lead they would keep the remainder of the half. Layups by Wilma Afunugo (Plano, Teas) and Montgomery would bring the Redhawks within one two different times in the closing two minutes of the first half.
The lead would change hands two times in the opening five minutes of the second half, with the Redhawks regaining a one-point lead, 33-32, at 16:40 on an Afunugo layup.
Montana would take back the lead a minute later and lead by as many as nine, 48-39, at 9:55 before Seattle U put together a 10-0 run to lead, 49-48, four minutes later. The Redhawks led by as many as three two different times in the closing three minutes of the contest, but a three-point play by Kellie Rubel tied the game at 54 with 1:33 remaining in regulation.
The game heading into overtime, SU would score first on a Taelor Ross (Vancouver, Wash.) layup but Valley answered with a layup, turning it into a three-point play on the foul.
Allen would hit a jumper 30 seconds later to give the Redhawks one more lead, but the Lady Griz earned the lead, 59-58, with 3:58 remaining and would hold onto the lead through the end.
The Redhawks came within two, 63-61, with 2:12 remaining but Montana went 3-for-6 from the line and Shanae Gilham hit a three to seal the Lady Griz victory.
Seattle U outshot Montana from the field, shooting 32.4 percent (22-for-68) to Montana’s 29.9 percent (23-for-77), as well as from behind the arc (20 percent to 16.1 percent). The Redhawks shot a season-high 18-for-22 from the line (81.8 percent).
Three Redhawks scored in double figures, led by Allen with a career high 18 points, followed by Ross (15 pts) and Best (10 pts).
The Redhawks remain home to close out the seven-game homestand, hosting Idaho State on Sunday, Dec. 21 at 1 p.m. Fans who wear a Christmas sweater to the game will receive a special $3 ticket price.